MINI John Cooper Works EV models in development; petrol JCW models to coexist with electric versions

MINI has a fully electric John Cooper Works model in development, with the high-performance model set to be positioned above the MINI Cooper SE in the brand’s all-electric model line-up.

MINI said that it is “working to develop concepts for electric John Cooper Works models,” and mentions future MINI architectures, which means that we can expect the top specification and performance of the electric JCW to be applied to a range of bodystyles for the BMW-owned British brand.

With the electric Cooper SE producing 184 hp and 270 Nm of torque from its single electric motor, this is comparable to the internal combustion Cooper S, which outputs 192 hp and 280 Nm of torque from its B48 2.0 litre turbocharged petrol engine.

The electric John Cooper Works variant should therefore have electric drive outputs comparable to the petrol-powered John Cooper Works GP, which makes 306 PS and 450 Nm of torque. The development of fully electric John Cooper Works models doesn’t mean that MINI is doing away with petrol power for its top performance models, however.

John Cooper Works models with conventional combustion engines will still continue to have an important role to play, to make sure we’re addressing the wishes and needs of performance enthusiasts all around the world,” said MINI brand chief Bernd Körber.

The MINI Cooper SE is priced at RM218,380 in Malaysia, and packs a 32.6 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that offers 234 km of range based on the WLTP test cycle, which can be recharged via the onboard 11 kW charger and a Type 2 to three-pin household plug.

The 11 kW charger will fully charge the Cooper SE in 3.5 hours, or 12 hours to reach 80% charge with the contingency three-pin household plug. A CCS Type Combo 2 connection for 50 kW DC fast charging takes just 1.4 hours to attain a full charge.

In Malaysia, a limited-run MINI Electric First Edition was also offered, with just 15 units made available. At RM238,380, this was priced RM20,000 more than the regular Cooper SE three-door hatch, and is set apart from the regular EV model by specifications including Enigmatic Black paint, panoramic glass roof, First Edition door sills, side scuttle and interior plaque, and anti-dazzle mirrors.

The post MINI John Cooper Works EV models in development; petrol JCW models to coexist with electric versions appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.



from Paul Tan's Automotive News
Read The Rest:paultan...

No comments